Register-operating mechanism.



No. 800,998. PATENTED OCT. 3, 1905.

G. T. EVANS. REGISTER OPERATING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 14, 1904.

FIGZL INVENTOR UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIOE.

GEORGE T. EVANS, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF TWO-THIRDS TO E. A. TREOO AND G. H. COOK, OF PITTSBURG,

PENNSYLVANIA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. Oct. 3, 1905.

Applicatio filed January 14, 1904. Serial No. 188,985.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE T. EVANS, of the city of Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have in- Vented a new and useful Improvement in Register-Operating Mechanism, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in Which I Figure 1 is a vertical sectional View of a seat provided with my improved register-operating mechanism. Fig. 2 is a plan View, partly in section, of the register and operating mechanism. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view on the line III III of Fig. 2.

Like symbols of reference indicate like parts in each of the figures.

The object of my invention is to provide mechanism for operating registers, such as seat and other similar registers for recording the number of persons who may occupy the same, and it is especially adapted for use in connection with barbers and bootblacks chairs and in other places where it is desirable to keep a record of the number of persons who may occupy the same.

My invention consists in a movable seat or platform-that is, a seat or platform which will be moved or depressed whenever the weight of a person is placed thereonmechanism actuated by the movement of the seat or platform for operating a register, and means for retarding the return movement of the register-operating mechanism to its register-operative position.

In the drawings, 2 represents the seat of a bootblacks stand having a movable cushion 3. Extending from the lower face of the seat 2 is a rod 4, preferably square in cross-section and capable of a reciprocating movement in its keepers 5 5. Between the upper keeper .5 and a socket 6 is a spiral spring 7, the tension of which is exerted against the clownward movement of the seat 2. Between the two keepers 5 one edge of the rod 4 is provided with teeth 8, which mesh with the teeth of a pinion 9 on a shaft journaled between a strap 10 and the rear face of the register 11. Loosely mounted on this shaft is a gear-wheel 12, which meshes with a pinion 13, journaled on a shaft also supported between the strap 10 and the register 11. Keyed to the shaft and pivoted rod.

of pinion 9 is a ratchet-wheel 9, with which a spring-pressed pawl 12 engages, the pawl being pivoted to the face of the gear-wheel 12. Keyed to the shaft of the pinion 13 is a toothed wheel 14, which engages with the escapement 14, mounted on the end of a pivoted rod 15, at the outer end of which is an adjustable weight 16, formed of a nut fitting on a thread on the end of the rod. The purpose of this adjustability is to regulate the speed of the movement of the pinions,gear-wheels, The rack 8, gear-wheels, pinions, escapement mechanism, and weighted rod just described together form a retarding device, the purpose of which is to retard the upward movement of the rod 4, the retarding device commencing to act immediately the seat is unoccupied and the tension -of the spring 7 is brought into play. Bolted to the rod 4 is an arm 17, having a pin 18 which extends into the register through a slot 19, operating the register upon the downward movement of the rod 4. The register may be of any of the ordinary forms now in common use.

The operation of my invention is as follows: hen the customer seats himself upon the cushion 3 upon the seat 2, his weight depresses the rod 4 against the force of the spring 7, and the register is operated. As the rod 4 descends the rack 8 on its edge turns the pinion 9, and the ratchet-wheel 9',mounted on the same shaft, the ratchet-teeth slipping under the pawl 12 on the loose pinion 12 without moving the pinion. Should the customer rise from his seat momentarily for any purpose, the rod 4 cannot ascend under the force of the spring 7 without, by means of the ratchet-wheel 9 and pawl 12, immediately moving the gear-wheel12 and imparting movement through the pinions 13 and 14 to the escapement, which acts as a retarding device, insuring a slow return movement of the rod 4, and before such movement can be completed the customer will have had time to resume his seat without by such movement operating the register a second time. By adjusting the weight 16 on the rod15 the time required for the movement of the rod 15, gear-wheels, and pinions, under the power imparted by the rack 8, may be varied from five to eight seconds. When the customer leaves the seat perma nently, the rod 4, carrying the seat 3, rises slowly under the force of the spring. When it reaches the end of its upward stroke, abell in the register rings, and the seat is ready for another customer.

Although I have described a particular form of escapement composed of the pinions, gear- Wheels, and Weighted rod, and also mechanism adapted to operate the register on the down- Ward movement of the seat, I do not desire to limit myself to the same, since- What I claim is 1. In combination, a movable seat, mechanism for actuating a register by the movement of the seat, and mechanism for retarding the return movement of the seat to its registeroperative position, substantially as described.

2. In combination, amovableseat, a rod extending therefrom for operating a register, a spring for imparting a return movement to the seat, and mechanism for retarding the return movement of the seat to its register-operative position, substantially as described.

3. In combination, a movable seat, a reciprocating rod extending therefrom for operating a register, and a Weighted lever adapted to be operated by the rod for retarding the return movement of the seat to its registeroperative position, substantially as described.

4. In combination, a movable seat, or platform, mechanism for actuating a register by the movement of the seat, and adjustable mechanism for retarding the return movement of the seat to its register-operative position, substantially as described.

5. In combination, a movable seat, areciprocating rod for operating a register extending from the seat and having a rack on its face, a Weighted lever provided With an cscapement, an escapement-Wheel, and mechanism for conmeeting said escapement-Wheel and said rack, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

GEORGE T. EVANS.

W'itnesses:

A. M. STEEN, JAMES K. BAKEWELL. 

